Explanation: Genesis 44 contains the incident with the silver cup, which is the turning point in the story of Joseph and his family. It began with a command by Joseph to put his silver cup in the sack of Benjamin together with his purchase money and to return the money of all the other brothers to their sacks as well (1-2). The brothers left early in the morning; but before they got far away, Joseph told his steward to accuse them of stealing his silver cup and bring them back (3-5).
     The brothers denied the accusation and offered to let the thief die and to present themselves as slaves to Joseph if it were true. They opened their sacks beginning from the eldest to the youngest. When they found the cup in Benjamin's sack, they tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to Joseph (6-13). Joseph's brothers fell before him, saying that God had found out their iniquity, and they offered themselves as slaves. But Joseph said that only the one who had the cup would be a slave (14-17). Judah then began to plead for the release of Benjamin, reminding Joseph that, on their previous visit, he had told Joseph that it would kill his father, Jacob, if he lost Benjamin (18-23).
     Judah also told Joseph that, before he came this second time, his father had again reminded him of the prior loss of one of their brothers and of his deep fear that evil would befall his youngest son, Benjamin (24-29). He told Joseph that the shock of losing Benjamin would kill his father; so he asked to be a slave in place of Benjamin lest he see the evil that would come upon his father (30-34).
     NOTE: In the next chapter, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, and he again asks if his father is alive. He never quite seemed to believe his brothers that Israel was still alive. Whatever the case, he seems to be focused on being reunited with his full brother, Benjamin. He was motivated by family ties, but he also may have worried that his brothers would have hated and mistreated Benjamin, the other favored son of the favored wife, Rachel. He may have also feared for Benjamin's life.
     Nevertheless, he seems to be willing to bless his brothers and the rest of his family anonymously. But he has forgotten his father's house (Genesis 41:51) and wants to keep it that way, except for reunion with Benjamin. Presumably, he would have revealed the truth to Benjamin after the rest of the family once again disappeared from his life.
     He has already traumatized his brothers and Jacob by retaining Simeon in jail until they got back. He seems curiously insensitive to this. This would have traumatized Benjamin, who was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Carnality, not spirituality, seems to be in operation here. Profound changes are being wrought in Joseph and in his brothers. But it seems to me to be the kind of changes that only God can make. It does not seem to be within the power of Joseph (or any man) to devise a stratagem that would produce these changes. I believe that we see, in the life of Joseph, a struggle between his God-centered impulses and his self-centered impulses
.      Also, it seems to me that Joseph has a clear focus in being reunited with Benjamin. But he seems to be so intent on this that he ignores the trauma that came upon his father (and Benjamin) by imprisoning Simeon. Perhaps he was still unconvinced that his father was alive, or so it seems from the fact that he asks if his father is still alive after he reveals himself to his brothers. This may also explain why he was willing to retain Benjamin. If Jacob was not alive, Jacob would not be traumatized by the kidnapping of Benjamin. Also, for Joseph to use false accusation to keep Benjamin for himself is ungodly, unwise, and uncharacteristic of Joseph's spirituality. In short, it seems to be a fleshly device. Joseph further traumatized Benjamin by falsely accusing him of theft, arresting him, and marking him out (ostensively) for slavery. Benjamin deserved none of this, even if Joseph intended to make the trauma brief. I cannot see this as a godly device produced by godly wisdom. It is selfish. And it duplicates upon Benjamin, by Joseph's hand, the evil which Joseph's brothers did to him earlier. The Joseph narrative contains many duplicates (sets of two) words and speeches are repeated, similar incidents are repeated, etc. But of all the sets of two in the narrative, the undeserved evil done to Joseph and then to Benjamin, the only two sons of Rachel, is perhaps the most striking. Also, the story begins with a set of villains (the ten brothers) and a single hero (Joseph). It ends with a single villain (Joseph) and a single hero (Judah).
     It is Judah's godly plea that breaks Joseph's desire to have nothing to do with anyone but Benjamin. This and the previous trauma which the other brothers experienced also broke their sin. So, in my opinion, Judah, not Joseph, emerges as the spiritual hero of the narrative.
     [ Sermons: William Still. Edward Donnelly. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: Today's paintings illustrate the main events of today's chapter. Image 1 depicts the beginning of the search for Joseph's cup. It should be noted that the artist has made Benjamin much too young. He would have been about 15 or 16 at this time, having been born a year or so before Joseph was sent into exile. Image 2 depicts the arrest of Benjamin. As in the previous painting, the artist has made Benjamin much too young. Image 3 is symbolic of Joseph's brothers seeking clemency from Joseph, who is represented by Napoleon. They are led by Judah, represented by the man standing in the center of the group wearing the black and white turban and the yellow cloak. ]

     ³⁰ Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; ³¹ It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. ³² For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever [all of the days. ³³ Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. ³⁴ For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

---

Home | DAWN Archive

Tomorrow's Picture: TBA

     ADDITIONAL AD LIB MATERIAL: Prose, Poetry, Writers, Visual Artists, Music, DAWN, and ILLUMINATION. ILLUMINATION features a compact, Illuminated Bible. DAWN, the page you are presently visiting, features a new image and explanation daily.

Please Email Comments and Questions To

AD LIB ARTS EMAIL
copyright 2016, Scott Souza